


Something Unguided in the Sky

by smaragdbird



Category: Reign of Fire (2002)
Genre: First Meetings, Hopeful Ending, Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 10:30:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7636702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaragdbird/pseuds/smaragdbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Quinn meets two men on the road he's naturally wary of them, although the Scottish guy seems okay even if he thinks he's funny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Unguided in the Sky

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [smallfandomfest](http://smallfandomfest.livejournal.com/)

Quinn was a light sleeper. Most people were these days, especially when they had to camp out in the open. Underground tunnels were in high demand these days with Glasgow being the busiest subway town in Britain since the only things left in London were ruins and dragons.

So when something swished over his head Quinn was awake immediately. He pulled the rag from his face that he slept with to keep the ash in the air from his nose and mouth and searched the sky for the dragon that had just flown by. 

Only there was no dragon. The sky was clear. It was a cloudless morning so it couldn’t have hidden there. Quinn was still frowning at the sky when he heard something he hadn’t heard in years: the cawing of a bird.

His head whipped around so fast it hurt. The bird sat on top of a wall above Quinn and tilted its head at him curiously, almost as if it was deciding whether or not Quinn would make a decent breakfast.

Quinn was unable to look away. If there really had been a dragon nearby he wouldn’t have noticed it until it had already engulfed him in flames. Birds were extinct, had been for years. The dragons didn’t tolerate anyone else in the air.

“Well, that’s not food”, a man with a thick Scottish accent said behind Quinn, “Unless she’s getting lazy.”

That made Quinn turn back fast, his knees scraping on the rough ground. There were two men standing in front of him, one who looked like he was only a few years older than Quinn and one older. Both wore military uniforms that had seen better days. The older man whistled and the bird flew to him, landing on his outstretched arm. “Good girl”, the man murmured and fed the bird a stripe of dried meat.

Quinn’s stomach grumbled loudly enough for the two men in front of him to hear. The younger one grinned at him. “Guess we’re not the only one’s looking for food.”

“Are you soldiers?” Quinn asked. He had learned to avoid them. Soldiers were armed and trained and tended to use both to their advantage when it came to water, food and shelter.

“Relax, we’re not going to eat you”, the younger one said. “Not that there’d be much to eat off you.”

“Let’s go”, the older one said and marched past Quinn without sparing a single look at him. The younger one followed him, winking at Quinn as he walked by.

“Wait”, Quinn called and scrambled to his feet. “Don’t go that way. It’s not safe in the south.”

“It’s not safe anywhere, kid”, the older man grumbled.

“London is their land. Even the tunnels aren’t safe.” Later, Quinn would forever wonder what had possessed him to follow them. Barlow would say it was the instinct of a lonely starving wolf to join a pack that might provide him with food. Creedy would say it was the bird. Embarrassing as it was, Quinn would suspect Creedy was right.

“We’re not stupid”, the Scotsman said, “We’re heading to Wales.”

“Wales?” Quinn echoed as if he had forgotten a place like Wales existed.

“Creedy”, the older man hissed. The younger man, Creedy apparently, shrugged and then asked Quinn, “How long have you been on your own?”

“Three years.” No one had had use for an orphaned teenager and he had been too young to join the army before it was too late. Civilisation had collapsed quickly and violently within three years.

Creedy gave the older man a look. “See, he knows how to survive. What’s the harm if he comes with us?”

“Boy looks so hungry he’s going to slit your throat and eat your liver.”

“I wouldn’t”, Quinn protested immediately.

Creedy grinned at him. “I know. You’d look better fed if you went for that kind of diet. What’s your name by the way?”

“Quinn.”

“I’m Creedy and these are Barlow and Alba. I guess you’re clever enough to know who is who.” 

For the first time in over a year Quinn found himself smiling, just a little bit.

Creedy sighed theatrically. “Finally someone who appreciates my jokes. I swear to you, Quinn the damn bird has a bigger sense of humour than Barlow has.”

“Why are you going to Wales?” Quinn asked because he wasn’t quite sure what to reply to Creedy’s comment.

“Shelter. It’s going to be winter soon. Maybe there’s even one or two of those infamous sheep left”, Creddy said and winked at him. He seemed happy that Quinn tagged along if only because it gave him someone else to talk to.

“But if you’re soldiers wouldn’t Manchester – “

“No”, Barlow bellowed at him, his eyes bulging from his face. “Never mention that place again. Do you understand, boy? Never.”

Quinn nodded, shoulders hunched to make himself seem smaller. He didn’t know what else do to. He looked to Creedy whose mouth was a thin line and his eyes distant, trapped in a memory. 

Barlow grunted and turned around and began to walk again with a last glare over his shoulder at Quinn. The bird, Alba, landed on his shoulder and cawed at Quinn and Creedy. That seemed to snap Creedy out of it. He smiled at Quinn. “Is there anything you need to get before we leave?”

Quinn shook his head. He had learned to keep his few meagre belongings close. 

“Well, then let’s go Quinn.”

/

Quinn quickly learned that Creedy like to talk. When he didn’t make comments about the weather of the landscape or jokes, usually about the English, he asked Quinn questions. He was probably the nosiest person Quinn had ever met. He was also the only person who had talked to Quinn in the past three years, so Quinn didn’t mind.

The days passed quickly and without a close dragon sighting. They headed west just when the temperature started to drop to be noticeable especially at night. Creedy and Barlow avoided the roads and settlements when they could. 

They stopped at night and as usual Barlow took the first watch. He and Creedy both had a military sleeping bag while Quinn unrolled his blanket.

Creedy gave the blanket a sceptical look. “Is that all you have?”

“It’s warmer than it looks”, Quinn said, feeling defensive.

“Come on”, Creedy tilted his head towards his sleeping bag.

“We won’t fit in there.”

“It opens at the side and you’re just skin and bones anyway.”

Quinn felt himself blush as he climbed in. He hadn’t been this close to another human being since the last time his mum had hugged him. Creedy seemed to fall asleep almost immediately but Quinn lay awake, rigid and trying his best not to touch Creedy more than necessary.

“Go to sleep, Quinn”, Creedy said suddenly, his eyes still closed. “You’ll be on watch soon enough.” He wrapped an arm around Quinn’s shoulders and pulled him close. This up close Creedy smelled like sweat and smoke and just a little bit like hope.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me [ here](http://smaragdbird.tumblr.com/) on tumblr


End file.
